The Price is Right–Program Cost

by northcentraluniversity on November 9, 2011

If online education were an item on the Price is Right, alongside blenders and mahogany china cabinets, what would you guess its price tag to be? When playing Plinko, would you disappoint Bob or win big with your knowledge of tuition and textbook totals? Like the game’s flashy merchandise, the cost of online education can often be different than a price seeker imagines. After investigating the costs of Northcentral University and two other online based options, the results discovered are below.

First, online education tuition costs aren’t based on semester or year, but on the cost of tuition per credit or credit hour. This fluctuates depending on the degree, department and program–each institution and degree program is unique, and an online doctorate degree will carry a different price tag than a bachelor’s degree. If you aren’t sure what you want to study yet, an easy way to gauge a particular online institution’s expense is to compare this rate among several online universities. For example, Northcentral University’s cost per credit tuition rate for an MBA is $617, Kaplan’s is $441 and University of Phoenix is $715.

For the students who have already identified which online degree and specialization they will pursue, it is even easier to determine total tuition cost. Most universities have resources to determine how much you can expect to spend according to your desired degree. For example, check out Northcentral University’s Tuition Calculator for any easy step by step process to determine the costs.

Using the Master of Business Administration as our sample, we found that Northcentral University’s total tuition cost would be $22,200, which includes registration, technology, online instruction, mentoring and tutoring, online library resources and graduation fees. Kaplan came in at $26,460, not including technology and other fees, with University of Phoenix weighing in at $31,687, including fees and books. So whether you are preparing for Plinko, or considering enhancing your career with an advanced degree from an accredited online university, you can do so with a greater knowledge about finding the price that is right for you.